Niki Rudolph

#OneWord2012

For the final prompt of the month-long challenge of #reverbbroads11: What is your “one word”? One word for this year, one word for next year.(from Amy)

I am excited to see 2011 go, not because it was a bad year, but because I really enjoy change. I enjoy new starts. My #oneword2011 was Next, and I truly feel like 2011 has been a year of nexts of which I took advantage. I am ready to call this year good and move on to new stuff. I like new stuff.

Perhaps I like the #oneword project because it allows me to pick a theme for the year, rather than specific resolutions. I like being open to what the year has in store for me.

For this year, I have chosen Push.

I want to push myself to do more good, to contribute more to my field, to sponsor more young professionals, to be more present with my family, to take advantage of more opportunities. I want to push myself to be more.

I also want to push others: to live their authentic lives, to trust themselves, to push themselves to be more of what they can be.

I want to push the conversation: around women leaders, around redefining girly, around student affairs, and around higher education.

I am also in the final push of my dissertation. This word seems more timely than ever.

So, here’s my Push into 2012.

I have set out a theme for each month of 2012 to push myself to be more mindful about my conversations in person and on social media. Modeled after Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project, I have chosen a theme for each month of areas on which I would like to focus.